Super moist vegan chocolate peanut butter cake made with layers of tender and rich chocolate cake between irresistible peanut butter buttercream frosting and decadent chocolate buttercream frosting. No one will know this cake is vegan nor dairy free!
Super moist vegan chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting
I thought I was in love once I tried my vegan chocolate cake recipe. But I was wrong.
This super fudgy, nutty and rich vegan chocolate peanut butter cake is true love.
I mean, I still love my chocolate cake recipe, but this chocolate peanut butter version is just next level. Think ultra rich and moist vegan chocolate cake between inches of creamy and sweet vegan peanut butter buttercream frosting, all coated in a decadent (and very spoonable) vegan chocolate buttercream frosting.
Oh, and decorated with vegan peanut butter cups, because if you’re already this far, you might as well go all out.
This decadent vegan chocolate peanut butter cake is the perfect cake for all occasions, including birthdays, weddings, graduations, holidays (especially Halloween!), parties, or really any time that you want to make a cake!
The reason being? This vegan peanut butter cake recipe is so freaking decadent that no one will know it’s vegan, whether or not they eat vegan on a regular basis!
Plus! You can easily make this chocolate cake recipe gluten free as well, and different layer sizes! This vegan chocolate peanut butter cake recipe is super easy to make, yet looks like an absolute showstopper.
How to make a decadent vegan chocolate peanut butter cake
Though this is a three-layered vegan chocolate cake, don’t let that intimidate you. Making cakes is actually super easy, it just requires some patience (probably the hardest task of them all, I know!).
What you’ll need for this vegan chocolate cake part:
- Flour: you can use gluten free or all purpose flour here. Just make sure that it’s sifted!
- Cacao powder: I opt for cacao powder over cocoa powder because I find the taste to be much richer, plus cacao powder is loaded with polyphenols (antioxidants that may reduce inflammation and improve blood flow).
- Coconut sugar: I like to use coconut sugar here for a few reasons; it keeps this cake refined sugar free (we’ll make a powdered coconut sugar for the powdered sugar) and it gives the cake a richer sweetness that’s almost like brown sugar.
- Leavening agents: just baking powder and baking soda here!
- Dairy-free milk (mixed with apple cider vinegar to create a vegan buttermilk): you can use any dairy-free milk, such as oat milk, coconut, or almond. The apple cider vinegar helps to curdle the milk to be much like a buttermilk (only vegan!). This will give the cake a bit of a lift and extra moisture.
- Applesauce: the vegan egg replacement (and added moisture!).
- Dairy-free yogurt: again, use any dairy-free yogurt that you’d like to here. Vegan yogurt gives this chocolate peanut butter cake that tender velvety texture when you take a bite.
- Espresso + hot water: not only does the hot espresso (or coffee) enrich the chocolate, but it also helps to combine the ingredients a lot better and give the cake a bit of a lift.
Now, the hot water is crucial, but I’ll talk more about that in the tips section. To make a vegan cake, simply:
- Prepare the batter: whisk together the dry ingredients, then add in the wet ingredients, save for the hot water and espresso. We’ll add this last, right as we’re mixing the batter completely. Then it will be a thick and consistent chocolate cake batter.
- Bake the cake layers: pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Another method is to try the “bounce back test,” in which you lightly poke the top of the cake. If it feels buoyant, then it’s ready to come out.
- Assemble the cake: after the vegan chocolate cake is baked, you’ll make the vegan peanut butter buttercream frosting, assemble the cake, then make the vegan chocolate buttercream frosting and finish with a topping of chopped peanut butter cups!
And that’s really all there is to making a vegan chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting! In the next section, I’ll go over more carefully how to make the vegan buttercream frostings, but really just have fun with this.
Making a (vegan) cake is supposed to be enjoyable, and eating it even more so.
Vegan Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
The vegan chocolate buttercream frosting is very similar to my frosting that I use in my vegan chocolate cake recipe.
However, the vegan peanut butter buttercream frosting is slightly different. For this peanut butter buttercream frosting, you’ll need:
- vegan butter
- creamy peanut butter
- powdered coconut sugar
- dairy-free milk
I actually love how the peanut butter creates this ultra fluffy and smooth buttercream. It might actually be my favorite vegan buttercream yet, and it’s soooo easy to eat just with a spoon (so you’ve been warned!).
Tips for making a vegan chocolate cake
- Don’t forget to sift the dry ingredients! This ensures that all ingredients are evenly distributed and will lead to a more even bake.
- Use room temperature wet ingredients, save for the hot water + espresso: this is very important if you want a super moist and tender vegan cake while not getting that claggy texture.
- If you don’t like coffee: you can use just hot water, but I highly recommend trying to keep the coffee in there if you can. You can also use decaf!
- Don’t over mix the batter! Mix the batter until it’s just combined. This will prevent the gluten from activating and creating a gummy texture.
Tips for making vegan buttercream frosting
- Make sure the vegan butter is room temperature: much like regular buttercream frosting, to make a vegan buttercream frosting, the vegan butter needs to be entirely room temperature. You can use any vegan butter here: I like Miyoko’s or Forager Project, but it also works well with Earth Balance. I notice more of a soy taste to Earth Balance though.
- Use powdered sugar or powdered coconut sugar: to keep this cake entirely refined sugar free, I like to make a powdered coconut sugar, which I explain in the recipe card below. However, you can also use regular powdered sugar. Just make sure that it’s sifted!
- Only make the buttercream when you’re ready to frost! And on that note, make sure that the cakes are entirely cool before beginning. Otherwise, you’ll end up with your beautiful vegan chocolate cake layers on the ground!
- Use the same bowl for the vegan peanut butter buttercream as you will with the vegan chocolate buttercream: this saves bowls, time, and gives the chocolate buttercream more of a peanut butter taste!
How to store leftover cake
If you have any leftovers of this vegan chocolate peanut butter cake (hey, it can happen from time to time!), I recommend storing the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
However, you can also slice the cake, cover it, and store it in an airtight container or cake container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I hope you love this vegan chocolate peanut butter cake recipe as much as I do! If you make it, let me know down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a rating so that others can find it.
As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!
Happy chocolate peanut butter cake baking (and eating!)
More healthy vegan cake recipes:
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Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Super moist vegan chocolate peanut butter cake made with layers of tender and rich chocolate cake between irresistible peanut butter buttercream frosting and decadent chocolate buttercream frosting. No one will know this cake is vegan nor dairy free!
Ingredients
- 3 cups organic flour, sifted *see note for gluten free option
- 1 cup cacao powder
- 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk with 2 tsp lemon juice, room temperature
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
- 1/2 cup dairy free yogurt, room temperature
- 1 cup just boiling water (just after boiling)
- 2 tsp dissolvable espresso powder
Vegan Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy unsweetened peanut butter
- 3 cups powdered coconut sugar, sifted (see note)
- 2–3 tbsp dairy-free milk
Vegan Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup cacao powder
- 2 cups powdered coconut sugar
- 2–3 tbsp dairy-free milk
- 6–7 vegan peanut butter cups (you can also use this vegan almond butter cup recipe and swap in peanut butter)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line three 8″ cake pans with coconut oil and parchment paper (or lightly flour). See note for alternative cake pan sizes.
- Make the vegan chocolate cake first: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cacao powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add in the dairy free milk mixture, applesauce, and dairy free yogurt, and mix until just combined. It won’t fully combine here, but just until the wet ingredients are incorporated.
- Add in the boiling espresso water and gently mix again until it becomes more like a traditional cake batter.
- Divide the batter evenly into each of the cake pans, and bake for 30-33 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for 10 minutes while the pans cool. Then remove the cakes from the pans and place them onto a cooling rack to fully cool before frosting.
- When ready to frost, make the peanut butter frosting first: in a large bowl, beat together the vegan butter and peanut butter until creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Sift in the powdered sugar and continue beating until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated. You can use the dairy-free milk here to combine the powdered sugar until it’s creamy and fluffy.
- Place one cake layer onto a cake plate or stand, and add about 1/2 of the frosting to the top of the cake layer. Use a flat cake knife to smear the frosting until it meets the edges. Place the second layer on top and repeat. Place the third layer on top, and smooth any frosting that is poking out between the layers (almost like creating a crumb coating). Place the cake into the fridge or a cool place and prepare the vegan chocolate buttercream.
- To make the vegan chocolate buttercream frosting: in a large bowl (you can use the same bowl as the peanut butter frosting), beat the vegan butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Sift in the cacao powder and powdered sugar, continuing to beat until the sugar and powder are fully incorporated. Use the dairy-free milk here to help the buttercream become fluffy and creamy.
- When ready to finish frosting the vegan chocolate peanut butter cake: Remove the cake from the fridge and frost the outside of the cake, making swirls or smoothing the cake out as desired.
- Chop the peanut butter cups into quarters and top the cake.
- Slice and serve!
- Store any leftovers at room temperature for up to 2 days covered, or in the fridge for up to a week. See note for preparing the cake ahead of time.
Notes
To make this vegan chocolate cake gluten free: use gluten free 1:1 baking flour. Please ensure that the mixture contains xanthan gum.
To make powdered coconut sugar: you can use powdered sugar here or you can keep the cake entirely refined sugar free, and pulse the coconut sugar in a food processor. Pulse it for about 5 minutes to create a Paleo powdered sugar.
Cake sizes:
To make a three-layered 6″ cake: bake the cakes for 25-27 minutes, but check with a toothpick towards the end of the baking time.
To make a two-layered 9″ cake: bake the cakes for 32-37 minutes, but check with a toothpick towards the end of the baking time.
Prepare the cake ahead of time: if you want to prepare the cake ahead of time, make the cake up until you finish step 6. Once the cakes are cool, wrap them in plastic wrap and store the cake layers in the fridge for up to 1 day. Then when ready to assemble, make the frostings and continue assembling the cake.
Keywords: vegan chocolate peanut butter cake, chocolate peanut butter cake, chocolate peanut butter cake recipe, chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting
Made this cake today. I really wanted it to be delicious, but I used the measurements in the recipe and there didn’t seem to be enough liquid in the cake batter, so I had to add loads more milk until it had a cake batter consistency. I also found the apple sauce gave the batter a gluey consistency, I dont know if applesauce in the UK is different to US applesauce, but I ended up with a chocolate sponge with apple chunks in, in hindsight I should have blended the applesauce before adding it or used a different egg replacer.
★★★
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!! It definitely sounds like the applesauce is different in the UK- there should be NO chunks of apple whatsoever in the applesauce. I’m so sorry to hear this! It also sounds like there might have been too much flour- did you happen to scoop the flour or spoon and level? Too much flour will yield a gummy texture. I’m so sorry for this mishap!
Hi! This cake looks amazing! I was just wondering what measurement of apple cider vinegar do you add to the dairy free milk to make the vegan buttermilk for the batter? Also you mention using the vegan buttermilk, but then in the recipe card it just says dairy free milk with 2tsp of lemon juice?
Hi Marie! I’m so sorry for that confusion! The lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are interchangeable- either works for creating the buttermilk! Some people prefer lemon, and you won’t taste it in the cake. When you mix the dairy free milk together the acid, then I just refer to it as the vegan buttermilk! But I will make that more clear in the recipe, I’m so sorry!
This recipe turned out great! I made this for my husband’s birthday because he wanted a chocolate peanut butter cake. We are vegan and gluten free, so I used King Arthur’s 1-1 gluten free flour. I had to add an extra 1/2 cup of almond milk since the cake batter was initially too thick and it only needed 25mins in the oven, I was glad I checked it. It got more compliments from other family members as well. The cake tasted moist and the subtle espresso flavor balanced the chocolate and the sweetness of the buttercream filling. I would make it again in a heartbeat!
Aw this is so wonderful to hear!! Thank you so much for the review, Amy! So glad everyone enjoyed 🙂
I would like to make this for my son’s 3rd birthday. Obviously I don’t want him to have the espresso. Can it be omitted or can something else be used in it’s place?
Hi Katy! Yes, you can swap in an equal amount of dairy free milk. The espresso just makes the chocolate cake taste a bit richer, but can be omitted for kids!